Longtime Calgary Flames organist Willy Joosen passes away
Longtime Calgary Flames organist Willy Joosen passes away
Willy Joosen's first year as the Flames organist was 1988-89, the year the Flames won the Stanley Cup
The Flames lost their longtime organist Friday, when Willy Joosen died.
The organization extended its condolences on social media, saying, "For 34 years, organist Willy Joosen brought so much joy and happiness to everyone who came to #Flames games. He was an incredibly kind soul who uplifted everyone around him. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends. Rest in Peace, Willy."
In a 2019 interview with CTV News, Joosen spoke to reporter Jordan Kanygin about his first night as the Flames' organist, on Oct. 17, 1988.
"That was (Wayne) Gretzky here as a Los Angeles King for the very first time and we pancaked them. It was 11-4," he recalled.
Joosen didn't have to manufacture his enthusiasm for the game. He was a passionate Flames' fan, who kept an audio recording of Peter Maher's call of the Stanley Cup winning game in 1989, which he played in the car over and over again.
"You gotta have heart in the game," he said to Kanygin. "It’s this roaring privilege to be like ‘Are you kidding? I get to sit here and watch that?’"
While the production of pro sports has evolved over the years to include a litany of recorded music, video, lights and special effects, the organ has been the soundtrack - and the backbeat - of the hockey arena and Joosen was Calgary's conductor for more than three decades.
"He’s kind of like a tradition and an institution," said Steve Edgar, the Flames’ manager of game presentation in that 2019 story.
"He’s been doing this for almost 32 years now and he just provides us with an element of our show that we can have a lot of fun with," he said.
Friday, Flames employee and Saddledome tour guide Rick Tulsie weighed in on Twitter about the passing of Joosen taking place only days after the memorial service for longtime trainer Bearcat Murray brought many members of that Stanely Cup winning Flames team back together to pay tribute in Okotoks.
"From his organ stool," Tulsie tweeted, "He would have seen most #Flames fans grow up."
With files from Jordan Kanygin
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Feds quietly change rules to allow one-time ArriveCAN exemption at land border crossings
The Canadian Border Services Agency is temporarily allowing fully vaccinated travellers a one-time exemption to not be penalized if they were unaware of the health documents required through ArriveCan.
Prosecutor: Stab attack on Salman Rushdie was 'preplanned'
The man accused in the stabbing attack on Salman Rushdie pleaded not guilty Saturday to attempted murder and assault charges in what a prosecutor called a 'preplanned' crime, as the renowned author of 'The Satanic Verses' remained hospitalized with serious injuries.
Average rent up more than 10% in July from previous year, report says
Average rent in Canada for all properties rose more than 10 per cent year-over-year in July, according to a recent nationwide analysis of listings on Rentals.ca.
More than 10,000 Canadians received a medically-assisted death in 2021: report
More Canadians are ending their lives with a medically-assisted death, says the third federal annual report on medical assistance in dying (MAID). Data shows that 10,064 people died in 2021 with medical aid, an increase of 32 per cent over 2020.
LAPD ends investigation into Anne Heche car crash
The Los Angeles Police Department has ended its investigation into Anne Heche's car accident, when the actor crashed into a Los Angeles home on Aug. 5.
Canadian literary figures double down on free speech following Salman Rushdie attack
Canadian writers, publishers and literary figures doubled down on the right to freedom of thought and expression on Saturday, one day after an attack on award-winning author Salman Rushdie that left him hospitalized and on a ventilator.
FBI seized 'top secret' documents from Trump home
The FBI recovered documents that were labelled 'top secret' from former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to court papers released Friday after a federal judge unsealed the warrant that authorized the unprecedented search this week.
Parent of child with rare form of epilepsy distressed over N.S. ER closures
Kristen Hayes lives close to the hospital in Yarmouth, N.S., but she says that twice in the past month, her son, who has a rare form of epilepsy, has been taken by ambulance to the emergency room there, only to be left waiting.
140 lightning-caused wildfires detected in B.C. over last 3 days, service says
Lightning has sparked more than 100 new wildfires in British Columbia since Wednesday, as thunderstorms rolled through the provincial Interior.
Edmonton
-
Chinatown community patrols document vandalism, help area businesses to build sense of safety
A group of volunteers is regularly conducting community patrols in Chinatown to help document vandalism and make the area a safer space for area businesses and residents.
-
'It's about all of our futures': Wet'suwet'en chiefs bring pipeline protest to Edmonton
Hereditary chiefs from Wet’suwet’en were in Edmonton on Saturday to bring attention to the Coastal GasLink pipeline being built on their traditional lands near Smithers, B.C.
-
Firefighters extinguish blaze in central Edmonton
Six fire crews responded to a single-family home west of Commonwealth Stadium that went up in flames Saturday morning.
Vancouver
-
B.C. lawyer sentenced to 22 months for forging documents including police reports, doctors' notes
A B.C. lawyer has been sentenced to 22 months in jail after pleading guilty to forging documents that he submitted to Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board over a period of nearly 10 years
-
Ukrainian refugee families find friendship, support through B.C. reading club
Ukrainian refugee families in B.C. are being brought together through a specially formed reading club -- and their bond goes beyond books.
-
140 lightning-caused wildfires detected in B.C. over last 3 days, service says
Lightning has sparked more than 100 new wildfires in British Columbia since Wednesday, as thunderstorms rolled through the provincial Interior.
Atlantic
-
New Brunswick's first confirmed case of Monkeypox not travel-related
At this time, the Monkeypox vaccine is not widely available to the public.
-
Parent of child with rare form of epilepsy distressed over N.S. ER closures
Kristen Hayes lives close to the hospital in Yarmouth, N.S., but she says that twice in the past month, her son, who has a rare form of epilepsy, has been taken by ambulance to the emergency room there, only to be left waiting.
-
Cabin owners in central Newfoundland warned to stop using closed roads
Officials in central Newfoundland are asking people to stop using forest roads to check on their cabins even though the threat of wildfires has eased for local communities and a state of emergency has been lifted.
Vancouver Island
-
'It's a bit shocking': Video of legal old-growth harvesting draws frustration on Vancouver Island
As the B.C. government promises deferrals of old-growth logging and protesters push for the end of the practice entirely, videos recently recorded on northern Vancouver Island put the old-growth fight into perspective for the man who shot them.
-
B.C. seniors keep love alive with romantic rides on wheelchair
Since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Peter takes Janice for romantic rides on his wheelchair. They travel along the city's bike lanes and waterfront paths, with her sitting sideways across his lap.
-
Victoria police investigating 'sudden death' downtown
Police in Victoria are investigating what they call a "sudden death" in the city Saturday morning.
Toronto
-
About 14 per cent of Ontario hospitals reporting less than a week supply of epidural catheters: Ontario Health
Approximately 14 per cent of hospitals in Ontario are reporting they have less than a week’s worth of epidural catheters in stock, according to an Ontario Health memo sent to hospital chief executive officers on Friday.
-
Police fatally shoot man after woman stabbed at Scarborough home; SIU called in
Toronto police say officers have shot a man after a woman was stabbed inside a Scarborough residence on Saturday afternoon.
-
Brampton teen arrested in connection with murder of Toronto rapper Houdini in May 2020
A Brampton teen has been arrested in connection with the murder of a well-known Toronto rapper who was gunned down in the city’s Entertainment District over two years ago.
Montreal
-
Pull on your cowboy boots: Montreal's first-ever Lasso Fest kicks off
The distinct twang of country music is rining throughout the air of Montreal's Parc Jean-Drapeau this weekend as Quebecer group the Mountain Daisies kicked off the Lasso Montreal country music festival Friday night.
-
Quebec Liberal youth wing wants Bill 96's CEGEP requirement to be optional
"Real issues, real solutions" will be the new slogan of the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) for the Oct. 3 elections.
-
85-year-old pedestrian fighting for his life after being struck by a vehicle in Brossard
An 85-year-old man is in critical condition Saturday after being struck by a car in Brossard, a municipality in Greater Montreal.
Ottawa
-
Queensway shutdown slows traffic across the city of Ottawa
Commuters face slowdowns on several roads in Ottawa this weekend, as all eastbound and westbound lanes of Hwy. 417 are closed between Metcalfe Street and Carling/Kirkwood Avenues for the replacement of the Booth Street Bridge.
-
The cost to rent an apartment in these two Ottawa neighbourhoods decreased this summer
As rents continue to rise for one-and-two bedroom apartments in Ottawa and Gatineau this summer, a new report shows rents are decreasing in the Ottawa neighbourhoods of Nepean and Gloucester.
-
Community rallies to help Merry Dairy recover missing ice cream bike
There was a swift response from the community to help find a missing bicycle cart owned by a popular ice cream shop.
Kitchener
-
Speed limit brought down to 40 km/h in several Kitchener neighbourhoods
Those driving through a neighbourhood in Kitchener may want to double check the speed limit.
-
Over 60 cattle killed in barn fire near Alma, Ont.
A total of 67 cattle have been killed after a fire tore through a barn early Saturday morning.
-
WRDSB confirms 'student information was accessed' during cyber incident
Waterloo Region's public school board has confirmed that "certain student information was accessed" during a cyber incident last month.
Saskatoon
-
SHA alerts public about elevated risk of Monkeypox: expands vaccine eligibility
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has alerted the public to the elevated risk of acquiring Monkeypox through anonymous sexual contact.
-
Saskatoon music camp teaches new instruments, gender empowerment
A group of young musicians, creators and performers capped off a week-long camp with performances at the Broadway theatre on Saturday.
-
Committee set to discuss changing city's first Michif-named street
City administration is looking to rename a new Saskatoon street after the word was revealed to have different meanings.
Northern Ontario
-
Sudbury Police investigating suspicious death in the city
One woman is dead in what police will only call a suspicious death in the city.
-
Average rent up more than 10% in July from previous year, report says
Average rent in Canada for all properties rose more than 10 per cent year-over-year in July, according to a recent nationwide analysis of listings on Rentals.ca.
-
Winnipeg
-
'When we all join together, that's when true healing takes place': powwow teaches indigenous culture
It was an afternoon of drums, dancing, and reconciliation as 1justcity held its third annual demonstration powwow at Vimy Ridge Park Sunday.
-
Folklorama major fundraiser for local cultural organizations
On top of getting a chance to highlight different cultures, Folklorama is also proving to be an important source of funding for local cultural groups.
-
Salter, Carlton, Hargrave to be closed for construction: City
The City of Winnipeg is warning motorists of some upcoming road closures due to construction.
Regina
-
SHA alerts public about elevated risk of Monkeypox: expands vaccine eligibility
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has alerted the public to the elevated risk of acquiring Monkeypox through anonymous sexual contact.
-
Regina city council considering $200K bid to host 2024 Brier
Regina’s city council is set to consider putting $200,000 towards a bid to host the 2024 Brier.
-
Canadian Blood Services in talks around paid donations of plasma as supply dwindles
Canadian Blood Services says it is in talks with companies that pay donors for plasma as it faces a decrease in collections.